Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz changes Newham’s elected mayoral model

At a meeting of Newham’s cabinet and mayoral proceedings this week (Monday 15 October), Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz, agreed to delegate executive decision making to her cabinet.​

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​Rokhsana held her final mayoral proceedings meeting and ruled that significant decisions will be made with a majority vote of the mayor and cabinet, with the mayor holding a second and casting vote as chair.

Rokhsana Fiaz said: “This represents the most fundamental change to the elected mayoral model since its introduction [in Newham] way back in 2002.

“This scheme of delegation essentially moves all the decision making that is held by one person, me, to the entire cabinet, which includes six members. It is all part of the process of bringing good governance, better decision making and transparency to the way in which we do business.”

Councillor John Gray, cabinet member for housing, said: “It is not often that politicians give up power. Effectively the mayor is still the mayor but she has delegated power to make decisions to the whole cabinet. We have collective cabinet responsibility, which I think is something we all welcome.”

Rokhsana Fiaz is London’s first elected female Mayor and was elected this year in May 2018.

Notes to editors

Elected mayors tend to hold more power than traditional council leaders because they can approve major plans alone and can overrule collective councillors.